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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29657907">In Her Grief</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strangexunusual/pseuds/Strangexunusual'>Strangexunusual</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Beetlejuice - Perfect/Brown &amp; King</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Comfort, Comfort No Hurt, Comfort Reading, Emotional, Families of Choice, Family, Found Family, Gen, Heartwarming, Multi, One Shot, Panic Attacks, Sweet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 22:20:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>985</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29657907</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strangexunusual/pseuds/Strangexunusual</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The sounds of Barbara’s gentler footsteps were heard coming closer to the attic door, the female ghost opening it carefully. “Lydia?! Is everything okay?”</p><p>“No... thanks for asking though,” she replied silently.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lydia Deetz &amp; Adam Maitland, Lydia Deetz &amp; Adam Maitland &amp; Barbara Maitland, Lydia Deetz &amp; Barbara Maitland</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>In Her Grief</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Formerly titled “Grievances”.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Standing outside the closed attic door, Lydia’s breathing slowed just a little.</p><p>She could hear her heartbeat ringing in her ears. And the aftermath of a recent panic attack was far behind her. She wanted nothing more than to forget it, it’s onset having been due to the date of the first anniversary of her mother’s death coming up and although she wanted nothing more than to hole herself up in her room all day, Lydia felt as though it was right for her to spend time with her dad, with Delia, with Adam and Barbara, or with her family as a whole instead of being depressed.</p><p>Lydia knocked on the attic door, calling out the Maitlands’ names, standing both still and silently as she waited for either Adam or Barbara to open the door and let her in, her listening intently as a conversation that the two ghosts had been initially having came to an end.</p><p>The sounds of Barbara’s gentler footsteps were heard coming closer to the attic door, the female ghost opening it carefully. “Lydia?! Is everything okay?”</p><p>“No... thanks for asking though,” she replied silently. </p><p>“Do you need to talk?” Barbara led Lydia into the attic and closed the door behind her, the teenager plopping herself down on the attic’s couch.</p><p>When Lydia stayed silent for a few minutes and didn’t say much of anything, Barbara and Adam sat down on either side of her on the couch. Barbara, a warm smile crossing her face, rested an arm around the teenager’s shoulder and caused Lydia to look at her unsure, which the Maitlands sensed almost immediately.</p><p>“Lydia....” Barbara started, moving her hand and running it through the teen’s hair. </p><p>“I-.....”</p><p>Lydia sniffled, leaning over and burying her head against Barbara’s chest area, which in turn caused the female ghost to rub comforting circles into the teenager’s back.</p><p>“Lydia, it’s okay. Whatever’s on your mind, you can talk to us.”</p><p>“I-.....” Lydia repeated, a little softer than earlier.</p><p>She closed her mouth then opened it to speak again. But, before she could say much of anything else, her breathing got heavier and faster. Blurred dots appeared in the teenager’s vision, and she could hear both her heartbeat and a loud ringing in her ears. The sound of Adam and Barbara’s worry-filled voices were faint, but Lydia could hear them as clearly as she could hear her heartbeat.</p><p>“Lydia, calm down. Take deep breaths for us please,” instructed Barbara, again rubbing comforting circles into the teen’s back.</p><p>Lydia did exactly as the female ghost asked, her breathing eventually slowing down, but it was still heavy, and Barbara kept up with calming Lydia down and comforting her, her words soft and sincere. And once Lydia did manage to calm down completely, she again buried her head against Barbara’s chest area.</p><p>Barbara ran a hand down Lydia’s back, the teen making a series of quiet, inaudible whimper-like noises. When said noises faded, Lydia slowly lifted her head up and saw her reflection in Barbara’s eyes.</p><p>“You doing okay now, Lyds?” Barbara asked, Lydia slowly nodding in response. “You still want to talk about whatever’s on your mind? It’s okay if you don’t. Adam and I don’t mind.”</p><p>Lydia fell silent again, looking at Adam before turning her attention to Barbara. </p><p>She couldn’t find the right words to say, however, as nothing came to mind when she opened her mouth to speak again. It seemed the panic attack she had just had was still fresh on her mind, as she could now hear her heart start to race. Barbara placed a hand on Lydia’s back to calm her down a second time, and eventually, Lydia felt her heartbeat slowing.</p><p>“Better now?” </p><p>“Yeah,” replied Lydia, softly, but clearly. “At least I think I am.”</p><p>“You need anything else?” Lydia shook her head, looking a little cold.</p><p>“Well... actually, I’m freezing right now...” Lydia said after a while. “Blanket? And maybe a cup of tea?”</p><p>Barbara nodded and summoned a blanket for the teenager, Adam helping her out with wrapping it around Lydia’s shoulders. The teenager curled up in it, taking a series of much needed slow, but deep breaths. Barbara materialized a cup of tea out of thin air for the teenager and levitating it over to Lydia, who reached out a hand and took it.</p><p>“Thanks....” Lydia mumbled ever so quietly.</p><p>The Maitlands smiled softly at her in response, Barbara eventually asking, “now... that panic attack of yours? Can you talk to us about what caused it to happen?” </p><p>“Oh... that...” Lydia set her now empty cup of tea down and looked from Adam to Barbara and back before turning her attention to the wooden floor of the attic. She opened her mouth with the intention of speaking, but couldn’t quite piece her words together. She closed her eyes, took a much needed breath, and opened them again. “Well, the first anniversary of my mother’s death is coming up and it’s going to hit me hard when that day comes. Do you mind if I spend some time in the attic that day? Bring up photo albums with pictures of my mom to show you?”</p><p>The Maitlands looked at one another, the mention of Lydia’s mother’s death having brought the memories of the week they died back to their minds. Now, they were trying their best to not think about that as much, but it was everything that happened following their deaths that was brought to their minds. </p><p>Neither Adam nor Barbara hadn’t thought about it that much, but maybe, just maybe, it was fate itself that led to both of their deaths so that the Deetzes could move in and the five of them could eventually become a sort-of family. </p><p>Eventually, Barbara turned her attention back over towards Lydia, a clear response to the teenager’s request fresh in her mind.</p><p>“Of course you can, Lydia.”</p>
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